


Good Bye

by ssa_archivist



Category: Smallville
Genre: Drama, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-08-19
Updated: 2002-08-19
Packaged: 2017-11-01 12:19:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/356702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssa_archivist/pseuds/ssa_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All good things must come to an end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Bye

## Good Bye

by Jason

[]()

* * *

With the kids in school, the coffee shop had been quiet all day. They didn't get much business this time of day. Even when the Beanery closed down twenty-three years ago, the farmers never really came around in the morning. But there had been one lone person waiting outside for it to open. 

He had looked a bit lost, and spoke in a manner that told her that his words meant something. They were never wasted, and when they did come from his mouth, you had better listen. The waitress smiled at the older man as she sat his drink in front of him. 

Reaching into his jacket he pulled out his wallet, paid her with a twenty, and told her to keep the change. "If you keep paying me like this for every drink I give you, you'll end up owning this place," she said with a soft smile, trying to get any sort of reaction from him. 

He smiled knowingly, the small wrinkles on his face only just now showing. "We wouldn't want to make that mistake again. Would we?" With that he looked back at the envelope sitting on the table in front of him. His fingers lightly brushed over his own name as he shook his head in amusement. No return address. 

The gentleman was just trying to remember how long it had been since he had seen the other man, when the chime announced his entrance. The footsteps grew louder as he approached the small table. 

His voice was soft. It had been a long time since he had heard it in that manner. It took him back to the days of his youth when things weren't nearly so frustrating. "Lex." 

Lex Luthor looked up and for a moment he felt forty years younger. He was back in Smallville with hardly a care in the world. He was going to sit and have fancy coffee drinks with multiple flavors and toppings. Best of all, he was going to talk with the one person that didn't make him feel alienated. The irony in that thought made him laugh inside. 

The scene before him changed in a flash, but the feelings remained. He wasn't that young man anymore, but maybe for a little while, things could go back to the way they were. "Clark. It's good to see you again. Please. Have a seat." 

The two men sat across from each other, both lost in days long ago. Clark hardly remembered even ordering the coffee, but came out of his own thoughts when the dark liquid touched his lips. 

"It's been a long time since I've seen you," Lex said with his manner of saying fourteen possible things in one sentence. 

Clark looked deep into Lex's eyes; he could see the hurt there. He felt it himself. "I'm sorry it's been so long. I got swept up in everything. It was crazed there for a while." 

"Indeed," Lex looked at Clark over the rim of his cup. "And now," he asked and took a sip. 

"Now, I think it's time to slow down." 

"Which of course you can't do. Not without leaving unfinished business with certain enemies." 

"Enemies?" 

"Well, that's what we are isn't it?" 

"Lex, I've never looked at you as an enemy. You've always been my friend. I've always thought of you as that at least. I thought you did as well." 

Sarcasm dripped from Lex's tongue, "Oh yes. Bosom buddies. Every time you crashed into one of my plants, or blew up something my military department developed . Yes. I was thinking. There goes Clark. He's my best friend in the whole world." 

"Those military departments were being used to develop and sell arms to countries that," Clark stopped himself before he went too far. "I only did what I thought was right." 

Lex smiled a true smile and said, "I always liked that about you Clark. Your relentless pursuit of justice. It's so much a part of you." 

"Just like your pursuit of power. What was it you said when we were kids? 'I don't want to do great things. I want to be great.' I think that was it." 

"Close enough." 

"When did it finally hit you, Lex?" 

"When did what hit me?" 

"That in order to be great, you have to do great things?" 

"It never did." Smirking at Clark, "I always loved that puzzled look you got when we talked. I've missed making your mind work so hard." Sighing softly, "Nothing really hit me. It wasn't any grand epiphany. It was subtle." 

Shaking his head at things past, Lex continued, "Not that there's anything subtle about war. Well, there is, but not when the there are bodies involved and they start to fall for the wrong reasons." 

"It couldn't have been easy to deal with. But you should have known that all those under the table deals and those weapons would come back to haunt you someday." Looking down into his coffee, Clark felt like he was 17 again. Saying the wrong things at the wrong times. 

Lex glared at Clark, "You didn't help matters much. Like I didn't have enough problems trying to keep the country safe, deciding if we should send troops in, guns blazing. You had to throw the past out into the open. Do you have any idea how hard it is to work the American public into supporting a war when your dirty laundry is hanging out in the wind?" 

Leaning forward, Lex snapped, "You have no idea what it was like. How could you? You've always been honest and forthcoming. Oh, wait, that's not entirely true now. Is it?" 

"No. It's not. Look, Lex. I'm not here to fight with you. I've learned so much from you since we first met." Taking a sip of his drink and smirking, "One thing being that you hate the run around unless you are the one giving it." 

Smiling himself, Lex leaned back in his chair, "And you aren't going to play games and give me a runaround. Is that it?" 

"Exactly. We've always played too many games. From the day we met there have been lies between us. Outright lies, and omissions of little but very important facts." He held up a hand, before Lex could jump in to defend himself. "I've done it. You've done it. It's the way things had to be. I'm not happy about it, but I am sorry it had to be that way." 

"You could have told me Clark. Even when I did find out have I ever gone after your family, or exposed you? No. I just want you to let me do what I need to do. I know it delves into the grey from time to time. Not all of us can be the boy scout. Someone has to play the heavy." 

"I'm done playing." 

Lex stops in mid sip. Looking at Clark sideways, "What do you mean exactly?" 

"That's part of what I came here to tell you. That's why I wanted to meet face to face. With out the 'superhero' and 'villian' thing going on between us." 

Clark sighs heavily and continues, "I used to know you. I think I still do. The Lex Luthor that I met and got to know in this town. It's still in you. The boy you met " Clark shakes his head, trying to gather his thoughts. "I went over this conversation, I don't know how many times. There are no right words." 

"I used to dream and pray that I was a different person. That I wasn't who I was. That I wasn't different. You showed me so much, Lex. You gave me self-confidence. You've been a good friend. My parents played a part in who I am, but without the strength you showed me I had. With out the confidence that I learned from you. It would never have come to this. I wouldn't be the man you see before you. I owe it all to you. Every good thing that I do is you." 

"You're tired Lex. I can tell. What power you haven't lost, you've given up. Did it all become too much? Were the lies within lies too hard to keep up with? Or was it just not what you expected?" 

"Lies with in lies too much for a Luthor? No, it wasn't that." Lex looked into the rich brown liquid, thinking for a moment. Not about what it was that woke him up, but if he should share it. "When we first met Clark, I was young and knew everything I wanted to do. I knew everything I wanted to be. How I would get it, and more importantly, who I would destroy in the process." 

"Your dad." 

Nodding, Lex went on, "I wanted more than anything to show him up, and knock him down. I was going to do things my way. I was going to not only make a name for myself, but do it in a fashion that wouldn't make people say my name with disdain." 

"Like my dad," Clark said with a grin. 

"Exactly. The problem being, to destroy what you hate, you risk becoming what you hate. As much as I didn't want to, I slowly became the man I despised." 

"You made the right choices. You've picked people that are strong but good at heart." 

"And who have you passed on the mantle to, Clark?" 

Shaking his head, Clark smiles. "I don't need to pass on the mantle. The little things can be taken care of by the people that are hired for that sort of thing. Don't you know why it was I picked Metropolis? I could have gone anywhere to fight crime. It wasn't about fighting crime, Lex." 

"Then what was it about," Lex asked, already knowing the answer. 

"You. You always said you could have my innocence. I owed you Lex. You did so much for this town. For me. When you left, I had to follow. I needed you. I needed to be there to help you stay on track when you started to slip. Because it was all I had that I could give you." 

"I know you signed away what remaining real power you have yesterday. I heard about it before I sent you that letter. I'm sure you probably have more ties that you can use, but I really think that you won't use them. I've done what I can to help you be the person you wanted to be. It wasn't easy for me to destroy part of your dream. You've done so much for me, and for that I'm thankful." 

As he rose from his chair, Clark said, "And one last thing. For the record, I think you did it. Despite all the bad things you may have been involved in. You did become great, and you did do great things." 

Lex stared at Clark, "So, what this is good bye?" 

"I just had to say it to you. As friend to friend, without all of the other world getting in the way." Clark, holding back the tears, "Yes, this is good bye, Lex." Leaving Lex behind to watch in stunned silence, Clark walked out the door. 

"Sir?" 

"What?" 

"I'm sorry, sir. I thought I heard you say, I need you." 


End file.
